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HOME AID: a one-off fundraising event for Ukraine
By Gabriel Power | 3 May 2022 | Culture
A star-studded evening in Bath will help raise money for those left displaced by the Ukraine crisis, with singer Claire Martin OBE talking to Tempus about playing her part for the charity
With tens of thousands dead and millions displaced, the ongoing war in Ukraine is a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions; a tragic, devastating conflict the likes of which Europe thought it had consigned to the history books generations ago.
With an endless flow of women and children heading west and south into neighbouring countries such as Romania, Poland and Slovakia to escape the destruction, millions of Ukrainians have now been left with nothing to call their own – not even a roof to sleep under.
As this crisis continues to unfold, Bath-based charity HOME AID will this week hold a special, one-off fundraising event for those affected by the war, centred on an auction of donated furniture and home items and other experiences. All auction profits will go to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’s (UNHCR) Ukraine Emergency Appeal to support refugees and displaced families.
Hosting the event, which takes place at the Bath Assembly Rooms on 5 May, will be comedian James Acaster, known for his work on multiple comedy panel shows as well as his sold-out tours across the UK.
Also featuring on the night will be world-renowned jazz singer Claire Martin OBE, who will be performing a set with her ensemble the Claire Martin Quintet, made up of pianist David newton, Laurence Cottle on bass, Steve Brown on drums and Iain Ballamy on saxophone.
Speaking about the event, Martin said she was "pleased she could do something to help" the people of Ukraine at such an unprecedented time, adding: "All the charities I work with, I choose carefully, but this event feels very different.
"When you see the images on TV of what's happening, you can't fail to be deeply moved," she said. "I'm actually also in the process of inviting a young Ukrainian lady over to escape the conflict, and hearing about it all first hand from her has really hit home.
When asked about what she is looking forward to on the evening, she said: "I'm really excited to see [famed auctioneer] Edward Rising do his thing, and I'm also a huge fan of James Acaster.
"So even though it's an auction for a terrible humanitarian crisis, there will be plenty to enjoy," she added. "I'm just trying to do my best to help any way I can."
Tickets to HOME AID (5 May) cost £20 and can be purchased here.
Non-attendees are also able to enter a silent auction online, which can be found here.